Japanese Brewers Look at Korean Shochu

[Mulboyne]

FT: Jinro hopes to raise $2bn in auction process
Jinro, South Korea's largest liquor maker, will invite bids from foreign and domestic companies by the end of the month, paving the way for a sale that could raise more than $2bn for creditors of the bankrupt company.
...Japanese drinks companies such as Kirin Group, Asahi Breweries and Suntory, are understood to be considering bidding for Jinro's Japan unit due to its strong brand name and solid sales.

[Mulboyne]

Bloomberg: Asahi May Bid for Jinro, Borrow for More Acquisitions

Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan's second- biggest beverage maker, may borrow to finance acquisitions of Asian alcohol and beverage companies, such as South Korea's Jinro Ltd., Chairman Shigeo Fukuchi said. Tokyo-based Asahi Breweries, which last month said that it may spend as much as 100 billion yen ($950 million) for purchases of companies by December 2006, may tap banks for funds needed beyond that total, Fukuchi said.

[Neo-Rio]

Jinro seems to be having a merketing blitz at the moment, trying to sell Jinro (or at least make it look more appealing) to the youth market.

My introduction with Jinro started and ended in a sushi bar full of old oyaji who mixed the stuff with oolong to get drunk cheaply. Maybe Jinro realises it has an image problem?